Gable, 26, plays for the Nebraska Danger of the Indoor Football League, where he recently won Special Teams Player of the Week. He played soccer in college and, later, in Italy and Belgium. He returned to Nebraska in 2015, where he started kicking for the local indoor football concern.

At the same time, his agent began circulating tapes of him, like the one where he kicks an 80-yard field goal, or the one where he pulls off a slick trick shot, or the one where he spangs kicks off light posts. One of them has apparently reached Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Gable has himself a tryout with the Patriots coming up. Stephen Gostkowski, you’re officially on the clock.

Josh Gable boots from long range. (Screenshot)

It’s an interesting gambit, one that might just work out well for New England. Of course, at this point the Patriots could say they were testing a field goal-kicking donkey and the rest of the league would start scouting barnyards, certain that Belichick knew something they didn’t. ____Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.